KATHMANDU, April 24: Professor Govinda KC of the Institute of Medicine (IoM), who has been serving in the remote VDCs of Jajarkot District for last three days, said that lives could have been saved had the government responded promptly to the influenza epidemic that broke out there four weeks ago.
Dr KC, who traveled to the district ignoring his own fragile health condition to serve influenza-hit patients, said that the intense pressure created by the media and civil society has compelled the government to act.
Guide to deal with person going through hard time
"Hundreds would have died had the media and civil society not pressurized the government to respond," said Dr KC. He said that people of Jajarkot have been feeling alienated from the rest of the country and the government.
Twenty-nine people have died and hundreds others have been infected until Thursday by the virus. Reports of outbreak of the disease have been coming from the adjoining districts as well.
"Dozens of people lost their lives due to a common flu this time. Hundreds died in 2009 because of a diarrheal disease in 2009. Next time, the people of Jajrkot will die of some other common ailments," said Dr KC.
Dr KC, who had gone to the district even during the 2009 diarrheal epidemic, alleged that those in the government forget the problem once a disease comes under control.
He said that had the government taken a lesson from the past incidents and invested in the health and education sectors, people would not have to die from common ailments.
According to Dr KC, there is no presence of government in the hinterlands. People in far-flung areas feel alienated and find themselves in a helpless situation when natural disasters or epidemics strike.
He suggested the government invest in long-term solution rather than just managing the ongoing crisis.
